Hope and hockey go hand in hand for India every time the Olympic Games arrive. And then when we realise that India were only flattering to deceive, we press the rewind button and speak about how good we used to be once.

India are waiting for a medal since 1980 — that’s the last time we won the gold beating Spain 4-3 — and fans yet again hope the 41-year podium drought will end at this Olympic Games. Currently ranked fourth in the world, India have never finished higher than fifth since 1980.

“For the last four decades we are only waiting. Yes, we had a very good chance for qualifying for the semi-finals in Sydney 21 years ago. But it was once again a story of frittering it away at the last moment.

“I remember Dr Vece Paes, his son Leander and myself were at the stands and could only watch in dismay as Poland made it 1-1 in the last minute. I thought we were destined not to play the semi-finals. That was a crushing blow to Indian hockey,” Gurbux Singh, a 1964 Olympic gold medal winner and former India captain, told The Telegraph from Gurgaon.

This Olympics, the FIH has introduced the quarter finals and India are expected to reach the last-eight stage. They are in Pool A with reigning Olympic champions Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Spain. Their first match is on July 24 against New Zealand. “A winning start will give them a huge boost,” Gurbux said.

Captain Manpreet Singh, who will also be the country’s flagbearer in Tokyo, exuded confidence that India will end the medal drought this time. “We have a very good chance of a podium. Our performance in the last few years has been good,” Manpreet had said during a virtual news conference last month.

There are also expectations from the women’s team, led by Rani Rampal. But coach Sjoerd Marijne is surprised by the hype the women’s team has generated. “If you are realistic, only two countries are lower ranked than us and that’s Japan and South Africa. We have to be realistic. We are focusing on reaching the quarter finals first,” Marijne said.

Key players

Men — Manpreet Singh

⚫ The 29-year-old halfback will be playing his third Olympic Games

⚫ Captain of the team since 2017

⚫ A gold medal winner at the 2014 Asian Games, Manpreet has played 269 matches and scored 22 goals

Women — Rani Rampal

⚫ Captain of the team, this will be 26-year-old Rani’s second Olympics

⚫ 2018 Asian Games silver medal winner, Rani has played 241 matches and scored 117 goals

Expert eye

I think to succeed in the Olympics, mental make-up plays a huge role. The Indian hockey players will have to be strong in the mind and only then they would be able to perform well. We haven’t done well in the Olympics (in the last few decades) and one of the reasons for that is we get very nervous. That’s why we conceded late goals to ruin our chances. My advice to Manpreet Singh and Co. will be to stay

focused. They should play as a unit and there should not be any ego. Let’s prey like a pack of wild dogs and hunt down even the mightiest of the opponents. It’s that fighting spirit which would decide our fate in Tokyo. The coach’s job, the psychologist’s work are all done. From here on, the players take over. They have to write their own destiny. We haven’t won a medal in the last 40-odd years.

To me it seems like eternity. Let’s hope for the best this time.

Zafar Iqbal

Former India captain and member of the 1980 gold medal-winning squad